Private Companies
Overview
Advising privately owned companies is a core part of our corporate and commercial practice. We work closely with founders, families, and long-term investors across a wide range of industries, providing legal guidance that supports sound governance and sustainable growth.
Our lawyers have extensive experience assisting private companies on both domestic and cross-border matters, including incorporations, reorganisations, shareholder arrangements, investment rounds, acquisitions, and exits. We understand the unique legal and commercial considerations in privately held businesses, where ownership, management, and long-term strategy are often closely intertwined.
For privately owned businesses, legal support is not only about resolving problems; it is about preventing issues, protecting assets, and enabling growth.
Our Assistance at Different Stages
Initial Stage
We advise private companies and their owners on the applicable legal and regulatory framework, support corporate and ownership structuring, and assist in negotiations with co-investors, partners, or potential buyers. This ensures that legal structures are aligned with commercial objectives and helps prevent future disputes.
Transactions and Restructurings
When a company is considering a transaction or reorganisation, we conduct focused legal due diligence on the business, its assets, and ownership structure. Our risk-oriented reports highlight key issues and recommend steps to address them in negotiations or before completion.
Based on the client’s objectives and due diligence findings, we advise on the most suitable form of transaction or reorganisation. This may include share or asset deals, internal restructurings, transfers of ongoing businesses, capital increases, or the establishment of holding or special purpose vehicles. Our guidance considers both local legal requirements and cross-border tax and regulatory implications.
We draft and negotiate the full range of transaction and corporate documentation, including share purchase and shareholders’ agreements, amendments to articles of association, and related ancillary documents. Our focus is on clarity, enforceability, and balanced risk allocation in arrangements involving private owners.
Risk Management
Privately held companies face risks that often differ from larger corporate groups. These include personal liability of owners, shareholder or family disputes, limited access to capital, regulatory compliance challenges, intellectual property vulnerabilities, and dependence on a small management team or key clients. Unlike diversified corporate groups, the concentrated nature of privately held businesses means these risks can directly affect owners’ personal finances.
We help mitigate these risks through careful structuring, clear governance agreements, regulatory guidance, and proactive planning, safeguarding both the business and its owners.
Competition and Regulatory Advice
Private company transactions and commercial activities may require competition law assessment or regulatory approval. We advise clients on merger control and antitrust matters, including transactions with national and EU elements, and ensure compliance with applicable competition rules.